MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CONGRESSMAN RANGEL BREAK GROUND ON WEST HARLEM PIERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 411-05
October 31, 2005

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CONGRESSMAN RANGEL BREAK GROUND ON WEST HARLEM PIERS

$18.7 Million Project To Revitalize West Harlem Waterfront


Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Congressman Charles B. Rangel today broke ground on construction of the West Harlem Piers, an $18.7 million project that will connect West Harlem to the rest of the Manhattan waterfront greenway. The project is a part of the City's West Harlem Master Plan that the Mayor announced in October of 2002, the goal of which is to revitalize the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem. The Harlem Piers project calls for a new bicycle and pedestrian path, a docking pier, a recreational and fishing pier, and landscaped open space that will reclaim the waterfront for pedestrian and recreational use. Deputy Mayor for Economic Development & Rebuilding Daniel L. Doctoroff, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) President & CEO Ken Knuckles, Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) Chairman Charles A. Gargano, Economic Development Corporation (EDC ) President Andrew M. Alper, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Community Board 9 Chairman Jordi Reyes-Montblanc attended the ceremony at 125th Street at the Hudson River.

"Reconnecting residents with New York City's vast waterfront is one of our most important economic development goals," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The West Harlem Piers will bring together various recreational uses by connecting the Manhattan greenway with the northern segment of Riverside Park, creating a destination for West Harlem residents and all New Yorkers to enjoy for years to come. I want to thank Governor Pataki and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone for joining the City in committing the necessary funds for this project, and the community for its work and support of the revitalization of the West Harlem waterfront."

"The West Harlem Piers project is another important step in the ongoing economic revitalization of Harlem and the Upper West Side," said Congressman Rangel. "In addition to the commercial development and housing that has already transformed our community the Piers will provide access to green grass and recreation for our residents and their children. It will also generate business opportunities and jobs in construction and operation of the facility. I've recently secured an additional $26.8 million in federal funds that will further enhance the neighborhood with construction of a ferry terminal and streetscape improvements along 125th Street from the pier to Old Broadway."

"West Harlem is reemerging as the bustling center of commerce and recreation it once was, and this project, along with our West Harlem Master Plan, are important elements of our effort to reconnect the area to the surrounding neighborhoods and greater Manhattan, both physically and economically," said Deputy Mayor Doctoroff.

"Through a $4 million commitment from New York State, Governor Pataki continues his determination to revitalize and spur redevelopment within Harlem's historic communities. Restoring the West Harlem Piers is a masterful plan to reestablish the State's waterfront heritage, while giving these piers back to the community," said ESDC Chairman Gargano. "This latest access to the waterfront will also improve transportation and allow for new recreational uses for the community. The State will continue to utilize our resources to encourage economic development opportunities as we reaffirm our dedication to the renaissance of Harlem."

The Army Corps of Engineers approved the project last week, clearing the last regulatory hurdle before construction can begin. Work will begin on the project by the end of the year, and it is expected to be completed by spring 2007. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone contributed more than $6 million for this project, with the State adding more than $4 million and the City providing more than $3 million. The Manhattan Borough President, the City Council, the State Department of Parks and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, among others, are providing additional funding for a total of $18.7 million.

The West Harlem Piers will improve City-owned land by transforming a parking lot between 125th and 135th streets into an attractive and accessible waterfront amenity. The new recreational pier will support various activities including fishing, water tours, boating and ecological exploration. The new pier will accommodate a variety of vessels with the main portion allowing excursion boats and water taxis to dock at West Harlem. The area will be landscaped attractively with new plantings and recreational areas, and the bicycle and pedestrian path will provide a critical link in the waterfront greenway, connecting Cherry Walk on the southern end of the site with the northern segment of Riverside Park. W Architecture and Landscape LLC designed the improvements, with support from DMJM+Harris and Philip Habib.

"The Harlem Piers reclamation represents a renewal of one of the City's most important waterfront resources," said UMEZ President & CEO Knuckles. "The people of Harlem have long desired a more accessible and attractive connection to the Hudson River. We believe that this project will fulfill their wishes. UMEZ is proud to be a part of the city-state partnership that has made this day possible."

Mayor Bloomberg announced the West Harlem Master Plan in October of 2002 with the goal of revitalizing the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem. The plan calls for the transformation of neglected City-owned land, various transportation improvements to support the neighborhood's growth, and land-use policies to promote a greater variety of uses.

"125th Street is a through street and a crucial access point to get to the waterfront on the west side," said City Planning Director Burden. "In conjunction with the West Harlem Waterfront improvements, we are working with the community on a 125th Street River-to-River study to create a comprehensive development framework to catalyze and invigorate this important corridor."

"Over the past four years, Parks & Recreation has made great progress in the development of the citywide waterfront greenway," said Parks Commissioner Benepe. "The West Harlem Piers

will provide a vital permanent link to the Hudson River and demonstrates our continued commitment to expanding and improving our waterfront property."

City Planning and EDC have worked closely with the community, including Community Board 9 and West Harlem Environmental Action, to advance plans for the area, receiving extensive input from working committees made up of various stakeholders including elected officials, government agencies and community organizations.

"Making the City more livable is one of this Administration's most vital economic development goals," said EDC President Alper. "Opening up the West Harlem waterfront to residents will take us closer to achieving the goals the State, the City and the community set forth in the West Harlem Master Plan to revitalize the area."

"The Manhattanville Piers will be a great asset to the residents of Community Board 9 and West Harlem," said Community Board Chairman Jordi Reyes-Montblanc. "This is a long-awaited and much-fought-for project, which is the symbol of the rebirth of West Harlem. It is a tribute to the dedication of many community people, but particularly Maritta Dunn, who has made the Piers her project."







MEDIA CONTACT:

Edward Skyler/Jennifer Falk (212) 788-2958

Emile Milne (Congressman Rangel) (202) 225-4365

Michael Sherman/Janel Patterson (Economic Development Corporation)
(212) 312-3523

Columbia U.-area city plan clears first hurdle

Columbia U.-area city plan clears first hurdle

By Lindsay Schubiner

Columbia Daily Spectator (Columbia U.)10/31/2005

(U-WIRE) NEW YORK — After more than 10 years, adoption of Community Board 9's 197-A plan by the City Planning Commission took a major step forward.

The board's plan, which consists of a set of broad recommendations for the long-term development of the community district, passed the preliminary "threshold" review on October 17th. This process requires approval by the City Planning Commission to ensure that the plan is logical, convincing, realistic, and consistent with sound planning policy before it can move forward into the substantive review phase, which entails obtaining input from the public and the borough president, final approval by the Planning Commission, and a City Council vote.

Although the plan is not binding, if it is approved, the City Planning Commission must consult it when reviewing any District 9 development plans.

According to board chair Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, passing this review is the primary important milestone in passing the threshold review. "We are confident that as things stand now, we stand a good chance of passing," he said.

While 197-A would not directly interfere with Columbia University's proposed expansion into West Harlem, its adoption would put in place zoning recommendations that might make it more difficult for Columbia to get the planning commission's approval to build certain types of buildings in the area. The review decision was accompanied by a letter from Amanda Burden, the chair of the Planning Commission, which noted that Columbia's re-zoning proposal for Manhattanville reflects a vision for the future of the neighborhood that is in "sharp contrast" to that of the 197-A plan. The letter asked CB9 to enter into a dialogue with Columbia about the plans before the public review process began and to "make good faith efforts to identify common ground and achieve consensus wherever possible."

Reyes-Montblanc emphasized that the discussion process between Columbia and the Community Board would be transparent. He added that an initial meeting with key players to set up ground rules for the discussions would likely occur in the very near future.

"There's no way of predicting whether that will be fruitful or not," said Pat Jones, the chair of the Board's 197-A committee of the upcoming discussions. "We can all be cautiously optimistic." University officials said they would continue to work with CB9 on the 197-A.

"Representatives of Columbia met with a committee of Community Board 9 as it was developing a draft of its 197-A plan," said Robert Kasdin, Columbia's executive vice president. "We are committed to continuing and intensifying discussions with CB9 to seek common ground wherever possible."

The Planning Commission also stipulated that the two plans enter the next review phase at the same time so that they could be considered together.

"We felt it was important that the Commission see both plans and see where they agree and where they don't agree," said Edwin Marshall, a representative from city planning who presented the 197-A plan to the Commission. Marshall noted that both plans agree on larger issues such as increasing retail areas and green space and being mindful of historic preservation.
However, he said there are some significant differences that need to be ameliorated. The two proposals conflict concerning the role of manufacturing and the height of buildings within the area. The Board's plan supports the retention of light manufacturing, especially those businesses that combine manufacturing with retail, and preserves fairly low building heights to maintain the neighborhood's character, while opposing residential displacement.

Columbia's plan would re-zone the manufacturing areas to mixed use so that they could accommodate a variety of possible uses, such as classrooms and housing, as well as taller buildings.

The 197-A plan also covers the area from 110th Street to 155th Street west of Morningside Dr. and St. Nicholas Parks, a larger area than Columbia's plan, which involves only the much smaller area between Broadway and 12th Avenue from 125th St. to 133rd St. and to the east of Broadway from 131st St. to 134th St.

It remains to be seen what might come out of the discussions between Columbia and the Board. According to Marshall, Planning Commission is "hoping that a consensus can be reached for both and that both can achieve their goals."

Community officials doubt that the changes will be substantial.

"I don't expect that the 197-A plan would change, but it may see some refinements," Jones said. As to the changes that the 197-A plan had to incorporate to pass the threshold review, it seems that there were relatively few.

"The essential elements that had been in the plan from the onset are there now," said Marshall.

Copyright ©2005 Columbia Daily Spectator via UWire

http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/voices/200510/1031local1.html

WestSide Harlem Manhattanville Piers Groundbreaking October 31st, 2005

WestSide Harlem Manhatanville Piers Groundbreaking October 31st, 2005

From left to right: Adrian Benepe, New York City parks commissioner; Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, chairman of Manhattan Community Board 9; Charles A. Gargano, chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation; Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Congressman Charles B. Rangel; Daniel L. Doctoroff, deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding; Andrew M. Alper, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation; Kenneth J. Knuckles, president and CEO of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone.

the Mayor’s press release on today’s event.

Watch the video in 56k or 300k

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PR- 411-05

October 31, 2005

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CONGRESSMAN RANGEL BREAK GROUND ON WEST HARLEM PIERS

$18.7 Million Project To Revitalize West Harlem Waterfront

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Congressman Charles B. Rangel today broke ground on construction of the West Harlem Piers, an $18.7 million project that will connect West Harlem to the rest of the Manhattan waterfront greenway. The project is a part of the City's West Harlem Master Plan that the Mayor announced in October of 2002, the goal of which is to revitalize the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem. The Harlem Piers project calls for a new bicycle and pedestrian path, a docking pier, a recreational and fishing pier, and landscaped open space that will reclaim the waterfront for pedestrian and recreational use. Deputy Mayor for Economic Development & Rebuilding Daniel L. Doctoroff, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) President & CEO Ken Knuckles, Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) Chairman Charles A. Gargano, Economic Development Corporation (EDC ) President Andrew M. Alper, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Community Board 9 Chairman Jordi Reyes-Montblanc attended the ceremony at 125th Street at the Hudson River.

"Reconnecting residents with New York City's vast waterfront is one of our most important economic development goals," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The West Harlem Piers will bring together various recreational uses by connecting the Manhattan greenway with the northern segment of Riverside Park, creating a destination for West Harlem residents and all New Yorkers to enjoy for years to come. I want to thank Governor Pataki and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone for joining the City in committing the necessary funds for this project, and the community for its work and support of the revitalization of the West Harlem waterfront."

"The West Harlem Piers project is another important step in the ongoing economic revitalization of Harlem and the Upper West Side," said Congressman Rangel. "In addition to the commercial development and housing that has already transformed our community the Piers will provide access to green grass and recreation for our residents and their children. It will also generate business opportunities and jobs in construction and operation of the facility. I've recently secured an additional $26.8 million in federal funds that will further enhance the neighborhood with construction of a ferry terminal and streetscape improvements along 125th Street from the pier to Old Broadway."

"West Harlem is reemerging as the bustling center of commerce and recreation it once was, and this project, along with our West Harlem Master Plan, are important elements of our effort to reconnect the area to the surrounding neighborhoods and greater Manhattan, both physically and economically," said Deputy Mayor Doctoroff.

"Through a $4 million commitment from New York State, Governor Pataki continues his determination to revitalize and spur redevelopment within Harlem's historic communities.

Restoring the West Harlem Piers is a masterful plan to reestablish the State's waterfront heritage, while giving these piers back to the community," said ESDC Chairman Gargano. "This latest access to the waterfront will also improve transportation and allow for new recreational uses for the community. The State will continue to utilize our resources to encourage economic development opportunities as we reaffirm our dedication to the renaissance of Harlem."

The Army Corps of Engineers approved the project last week, clearing the last regulatory hurdle before construction can begin. Work will begin on the project by the end of the year, and it is expected to be completed by spring 2007. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone contributed more than $6 million for this project, with the State adding more than $4 million and the City providing more than $3 million. The Manhattan Borough President, the City Council, the State Department of Parks and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, among others, are providing additional funding for a total of $18.7 million.

The West Harlem Piers will improve City-owned land by transforming a parking lot between 125th and 135th streets into an attractive and accessible waterfront amenity. The new recreational pier will support various activities including fishing, water tours, boating and ecological exploration. The new pier will accommodate a variety of vessels with the main portion allowing excursion boats and water taxis to dock at West Harlem. The area will be landscaped attractively with new plantings and recreational areas, and the bicycle and pedestrian path will provide a critical link in the waterfront greenway, connecting Cherry Walk on the southern end of the site with the northern segment of Riverside Park. W Architecture and Landscape LLC designed the improvements, with support from DMJM+Harris and Philip Habib.

"The Harlem Piers reclamation represents a renewal of one of the City's most important waterfront resources," said UMEZ President & CEO Knuckles. "The people of Harlem have long desired a more accessible and attractive connection to the Hudson River. We believe that this project will fulfill their wishes. UMEZ is proud to be a part of the city-state partnership that has made this day possible."

Mayor Bloomberg announced the West Harlem Master Plan in October of 2002 with the goal of revitalizing the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem. The plan calls for the transformation of neglected City-owned land, various transportation improvements to support the neighborhood's growth, and land-use policies to promote a greater variety of uses.

"125th Street is a through street and a crucial access point to get to the waterfront on the west side," said City Planning Director Burden. "In conjunction with the West Harlem Waterfront improvements, we are working with the community on a 125th Street River-to-River study to create a comprehensive development framework to catalyze and invigorate this important corridor."

"Over the past four years, Parks & Recreation has made great progress in the development of the citywide waterfront greenway," said Parks Commissioner Benepe. "The West Harlem Piers
will provide a vital permanent link to the Hudson River and demonstrates our continued commitment to expanding and improving our waterfront property."

City Planning and EDC have worked closely with the community, including Community Board 9 and West Harlem Environmental Action, to advance plans for the area, receiving extensive input from working committees made up of various stakeholders including elected officials, government agencies and community organizations.

"Making the City more livable is one of this Administration's most vital economic development goals," said EDC President Alper. "Opening up the West Harlem waterfront to residents will take us closer to achieving the goals the State, the City and the community set forth in the West Harlem Master Plan to revitalize the area."

"The Manhattanville Piers will be a great asset to the residents of Community Board 9 and West Harlem," said Community Board Chairman Jordi Reyes-Montblanc. "This is a long-awaited and much-fought-for project, which is the symbol of the rebirth of West Harlem. It is a tribute to the dedication of many community people, but particularly Maritta Dunn, who has made the Piers her project."MEDIA CONTACT: Edward Skyler/Jennifer Falk (212) 788-2958Emile Milne (Congressman Rangel) (202) 225-4365Michael Sherman/Janel Patterson (Economic Development Corporation)(212) 312-3523

Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Rangel Break Ground On WestSide Harlem Piers

Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Rangel Break Ground On WestSide Harlem Piers

Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Rangel today broke ground on construction of the West Harlem Piers, an $18.7 million project that will connect West Harlem to the rest of the Manhattan waterfront greenway.

Monday, October 31, 2005
Read the press release
Watch the video in dial-up or broadband



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Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Rangel Break Ground on West Harlem Piers

For Immediate Release
October 31, 2005

Contact:
Edward Skyler/Jennifer Falk (212) 788-2958
Emile Milne (Congressman Rangel) (202) 225-4365
Michael Sherman/Janel Patterson (EDC) (212) 312-3523

Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Rangel Break Ground on West Harlem Piers ( 10/31/2005 )

$18.7 Million Project To Revitalize West Harlem Waterfront

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Congressman Charles B. Rangel today broke ground on construction of the West Harlem Piers, an $18.7 million project that will connect West Harlem to the rest of the Manhattan waterfront greenway. The project is a part of the City�s West Harlem Master Plan that the Mayor announced in October of 2002, the goal of which is to revitalize the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem. The Harlem Piers project calls for a new bicycle and pedestrian path, a docking pier, a recreational and fishing pier, and landscaped open space that will reclaim the waterfront for pedestrian and recreational use. Deputy Mayor for Economic Development & Rebuilding Daniel L. Doctoroff, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) Board President & CEO Ken Knuckles, Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) Chairman Charles A. Gargano, Economic Development Corporation (EDC) President Andrew M. Alper, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Community Board 9 Chairman Jordi Reyes-Montblanc attended the ceremony at 125th Street at the Hudson River.

�Reconnecting residents with New York City�s vast waterfront is one of our most important economic development goals,� said Mayor Bloomberg. �The West Harlem Piers will bring together various recreational uses by connecting the Manhattan greenway with the northern segment of Riverside Park, creating a destination for West Harlem residents and all New Yorkers to enjoy for years to come. I want to thank Governor Pataki and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone for joining the City in committing the necessary funds for this project, and the community for its work and support of the revitalization of the West Harlem waterfront.�

�The West Harlem Piers project is another important step in the ongoing economic revitalization of Harlem and the Upper West Side,� said Congressman Rangel. �In addition to the commercial development and housing that has already transformed our community the Piers will provide access to green grass and recreation for our residents and their children. It will also generate business opportunities and jobs in construction and operation of the facility. I�ve recently secured an additional $26.8 million in federal funds that will further enhance the neighborhood with construction of a ferry terminal and streetscape improvements along 125th Street from the pier to Old Broadway.�

�West Harlem is reemerging as the bustling center of commerce and recreation it once was, and this project, along with our West Harlem Master Plan, are important elements of our effort to reconnect the area to the surrounding neighborhoods and greater Manhattan, both physically and economically,� said Deputy Mayor Doctoroff.

�Through a $4 million commitment from New York State, Governor Pataki continues his determination to revitalize and spur redevelopment within Harlem�s historic communities. Restoring the West Harlem Piers is a masterful plan to reestablish the State�s waterfront heritage, while giving these piers back to the community,� said ESDC Chairman Gargano. �This latest access to the waterfront will also improve transportation and allow for new recreational uses for the community. The State will continue to utilize our resources to encourage economic development opportunities as we reaffirm our dedication to the renaissance of Harlem.�

The Army Corps of Engineers approved the project last week, clearing the last regulatory hurdle before construction can begin. Work will begin on the project by the end of the year, and it is expected to be completed by spring 2007. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone contributed more than $6 million for this project, with the State adding more than $4 million and the City providing more than $3 million. The Manhattan Borough President, the City Council, the State Department of Parks and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, among others, are providing additional funding for a total of $18.7 million.

The West Harlem Piers will improve City-owned land by transforming a parking lot between 125th and 135th streets into an attractive and accessible waterfront amenity. The new recreational pier will support various activities including fishing, water tours, boating and ecological exploration. The new pier will accommodate a variety of vessels with the main portion allowing excursion boats and water taxis to dock at West Harlem. The area will be landscaped attractively with new plantings and recreational areas, and the bicycle and pedestrian path will provide a critical link in the waterfront greenway, connecting Cherry Walk on the southern end of the site with the northern segment of Riverside Park. W Architecture and Landscape LLC designed the improvements, with support from DMJM+Harris and Philip Habib.

�The Harlem Piers reclamation represents a renewal of one of the City�s most important waterfront resources,� said UMEZ Board President & CEO Knuckles. �The people of Harlem have long desired a more accessible and attractive connection to the Hudson River. We believe that this project will fulfill their wishes. UMEZ is proud to be a part of the city-state partnership that has made this day possible.�

Mayor Bloomberg announced the West Harlem Master Plan in October of 2002 with the goal of revitalizing the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem. The plan calls for the transformation of neglected City-owned land, various transportation improvements to support the neighborhood�s growth, and land-use policies to promote a greater variety of uses.

�125th Street is a through street and a crucial access point to get to the waterfront on the west side,� said City Planning Director Burden. �In conjunction with the West Harlem Waterfront improvements, we are working with the community on a 125th Street River-to-River study to create a comprehensive development framework to catalyze and invigorate this important corridor.�

�Over the past four years, Parks & Recreation has made great progress in the development of the citywide waterfront greenway,� said Parks Commissioner Benepe. �The West Harlem Piers will provide a vital permanent link to the Hudson River and demonstrates our continued commitment to expanding and improving our waterfront property.�

City Planning and EDC have worked closely with the community, including Community Board 9 and West Harlem Environmental Action, to advance plans for the area, receiving extensive input from working committees made up of various stakeholders including elected officials, government agencies and community organizations.

�Making the City more livable is one of this Administration�s most vital economic development goals,� said EDC President Alper. �Opening up the West Harlem waterfront to residents will take us closer to achieving the goals the State, the City and the community set forth in the West Harlem Master Plan to revitalize the area.�

�The Manhattanville Piers will be a great asset to the residents of Community Board 9 and West Harlem,� said Community Board Chairman Jordi Reyes-Montblanc. �This is a long-awaited and much-fought-for project, which is the symbol of the rebirth of West Harlem. It is a tribute to the dedication of many community people, but particularly Maritta Dunn, who has made the Piers her project.�

In Memoriam Ana Pereira

HERITAGE HEALTH & HOUSING, INC.



MEMORANDUM

TO: The Heritage Health and Housing Family

FROM: Jorge L. Abreu, CSW � Acting Executive Director

RE: THE LIFE OF ANA PEREIRA

DATE: October 31, 2005

It is with regret and deep sorrow that I must inform you that Ana Pereira is no longer with us. She died of natural causes on Sunday October 30th at 9:10pm. She was in the company of family and she will be deeply missed by us all.

Ana Pereira cared about consumers and staff alike, she fought hard to create housing programs, jobs, and help homeless individuals get a key in their hands. Ana would check staff and consumers to make certain they bathed and ate properly. She even did that to Board members, elected officials, and even perfect strangers in the street.

During the course of this week, we will be paying respects to her memory, as well as continuing her legacy of tireless work. Today we will reminisce and celebrate the life of Ana Pereira. At 2:30PM we invite all staff to join us once again in the conference room, in the company of Board members, consumers, and others dear and close to the heart of Ana Pereira.

Please remember, throughout this time of sorrow, we should reflect on Ana�s work, her dreams, her love of bright colors, and her efforts to better our City, feed the hungry and establish a community of healing.

/JLA

file

Rosa Parks lying in state, live online

For those who cannot go to Washington DC the Washington Post has a live video feed of the rotunda where Rosa Parky lies in state.

Visit
www.washingtonpost.com

If you are not a subscriber log in with user name
lala@mailinator.com
and password
lalala

[hat tip to www.bugmenot.com]

School District 3 and 5 Children Residing within CB7M and CB9M Receive Preference at The School at Columbia University

School District 3 and 5 Children Residing within

CB7M and CB9M

Receive Preference at The School at Columbia University

The School at Columbia University

is now accepting

lottery entry forms for its

kindergarten - sixth grades for fall 2006.

Once the lottery is held, a list is generated for the distribution

of applications. Receiving an application does not

mean that a child has gained admission to The School.

Families entering the lottery

must reside in School Districts 3 or 5.

Proof of residence will be required.

Financial aid is available.

DEADLINE: November 2, 2005 at noon.

For more information

or to obtain a lottery form:

Web: http://theschool.columbia.edu

Phone: 212.851.4216

Email: admissions@theschool.columbia.edu

20 Eagle Street: The Court of Appeals

Subject: 20 Eagle Street: The Court of Appeals
Date: 10/29/2005 1:13:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From: starquest@nycivic.org
To: reysmontj@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)


NOTE: At the end of the article, you will find an invitation to a Museum of the City of New York event on November 1, free to members of New York Civic.



NEW YORK COURT OF APPEALS, IN 2005,
READS THE FOURTH AMENDMENT (1791)
TO AID MAN WITH COKE IN CAR TRUNK
WHO CONSENTED TO VEHICLE SEARCH




By Henry J. Stern
October 28, 2005

This is a link to the text of a decision issued Tuesday by the Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York State, in the case of People v. Gomez. In a nutshell, Gomez, now indicted for drug trafficking, consented to a search of his car. The police, noting new carpeting on part of the floor and new painting on the undercarriage, pried open the gas tank with a crowbar and found one and a half pounds of cocaine. The Court of Appeals reversed the Appellate Division and threw out the conviction on the ground that Gomez's consent to a search of the car did not include permission to search the gas tank, In this case, external evidence indicated to the police that the tank had recently been altered. Judge Carmen Ciparick, appointed by Governor Cuomo, wrote for the Court majority, Judge Susan Read, appointed by Governor Pataki, was the lone dissenter. Two of the three Pataki judges voted with the four Cuomo judges to comprise the majority. Link to the judges' names for their bios, link to their opinions in the Gomez case here.

There were two stories in the tabloids about the case. The longer one consisted of nine paragraphs on page 13 of Wednesday's Daily News. It was written by Joe Mahoney of the paper's Albany News Bureau.

The New York Post dealt with the case Wednesday in a two-paragraph squib on page 19, by Kenneth Lovett. That story was clearly truncated because space was limited. The newspapers of record have not as yet reported the Court of Appeals decision.

The case was remanded to the Appellate Division for consideration pursuant to the Court of Appeals decision, so Gomez will not necessarily go free. The lower court will consider the extent of the consent, the effect of the defendant's silence when the search was conducted in his presence, and the reasonableness of the police officers' suspicion, which was based on the physical appearance of the car - the repainted undercarriage and a fresh carpet over part of the floor of the rear compartment.

Nonetheless, the Court of Appeals seems to have rejected the 'reasonable man' standard in favor of the protection of gas tanks, even when they contain cocaine. It would, however, be only fair that in the event no drugs were found in the tank, the city should have the obligation to repair the tank, refill it with gas, and reinstall or replace the carpet.

This is a case you are qualified to judge for yourself after reading what the judges wrote. Both opinions read like Talmudic disputations, parsing and twisting past precedents so they appear to govern this fact situation. We, in our naivet�, see what we believe is the interest of the general public. It is better to interfere with the distribution of cocaine before it reaches the streets for resale than to collaborate with drug dealers by limiting the scope of their consent, or forbidding the police to follow clues which they discern because of their experience in dealing with subterfuge of this sort. Query, if a police dog had sniffed the cocaine, would that be reasonable cause for a search?

What we derive from this case is that these judges are erudite and display skills in reasoning and communication. What sort of opinion might Harriet Miers have written; we'll never know. But the Court of Appeals majority, in our judgment, just doesn't get the underlying situation. What if it were a terrorist transporting an infernal device? Should he get away with his crime just because the search of his car was more intense than the terrorist had anticipated when he consented to the search? What if he had said "Stop" in the middle of the search? That sounds ridiculous to us. But you will find that concept in the majority opinion, dealing with the nuances of defendant's expectations, scope and extent of Gomez' consent.

Clearly, most of the Court of Appeals is not persuaded by pragmatic arguments. They see the case as an exercise in the meaning and scope of consent. Others see People v. Gomez as a rebuke to cops using their jobs and doing their job by making a more thorough search than Gomez may have had in mind.

The New York State Court of Appeals has traditionally been even more protective of defendants' rights than the United States Supreme Court. That may be a blue-state phenomenon (you see it also on the Ninth Circuit). Prosecutors can go too far, and the courts are a necessary check. Both opinions discuss a 'bright line rule' in different contexts to prove their point. The bright line can be drawn in different places.

Rules are helpful guides, as long as they can be modified by common sense. In People v. Gomez, we suggest that the Court has let technicalities impede reasonable judgment as to what conduct is appropriate for police officers. We train cops to use insight and to follow small clues. We should not disregard their findings when they do what we have hired and trained them to do.



#261 10.28.05 848wds



Tuesday, November 1 � 6:30 PM

The Works: Anatomy of a City


One of the great challenges of the Koch administration was to address the aging infrastructure of the city in the aftermath of the fiscal crisis. Kate Ascher, Executive Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, brings the vitally important story of the city's hidden systems up to date in her new book, The Works: Anatomy of a City (Penguin, 2005). Ascher offers a riveting account of the extraordinarily complex, often invisible, and wholly taken for granted technologies, and the people behind them, that make urban life possible. Reception and book signing follow. A special viewing at 6:00 pm of the new exhibition New York Comes Back: Mayor Ed Koch and the City precedes the program.

FREE FOR NY CIVIC MEMBERS

$5 for MCNY Museum members, seniors and students; $7 for non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 212-534-1672 ext. 3395





Henry J. Stern
starquest@nycivic.org
New York Civic
520 Eighth Avenue
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10018
(212) 564-4441
(212) 564-5588 (fax)

www.nycivic.org

Announcement - Last Permit for Harlem Piers Issued

Have been advised that the last permit for the Harlem Piers has now been signed by the Army Corps of Engineers and that Mayor Michael Bloomberg and US Representative Charles B. Rangel will hold a press conference on Monday 31 October 2005 at 11am at 125th Street and Marginal street Both Councilmember Robert Jackson and CB9M Chair are scheduled speakers.

Come One - Come All

JRM

Jordi (George) Reyes-Montblanc, Chair
ReysmontJ@aol.com
Community Board 9 Manhattan
565 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027-2301
Tel: (212) 864-6200
Fax: 212-662-7396

Chair's Blog: Click here: CB9M Chair's Blog

web: http://www.cb9m.org/

AOL Group: Click here: Main Paage WestSide Heights - CB9M
http://groups.aol.com/jrmcb9m?mmch_=0&_GM_crgrAlias_ST=jrmcb9m

CB9M Web Calendar: CB9M - Community Board 9 ManhattanCommunity Calendar

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/public/events.html?nneighid=979042641&nsupercity=396025635&ncity=962051086

NYC Health Department Is offering FLU SHOTS

Subject: NYC Health Department Is offering FLU SHOTS
Date: 10/28/2005 3:15:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From: SKalinowski@manhattanbp.org
Sent from the Internet (Details)

JRM,

I received a flier from the New York City Health Department that I would like to share with you. If you know anyone who might be interested please feel free to share this information with them, or post this where it can be seen. I can also email a PDF version of the information, if requested. Please note that this particular flu shot clinic is not only to help the residents of NYC combat the flu but it is also a drill in emergency preparedness for the NYC Health Department. If you have questions regarding additional flu clinics feel free to check out www.nyc.gov/health/flu or call 311.

Thank You,

Stephanie

NYC Health Department
Is offering FLU SHOTS to
anyone age 4 or older

Tuesday, November 1
7:30AM � 9:00PM

346 West 17TH Street
(between 8TH and 9TH Aves.)

? There is NO COST to you for the flu shot.
? You CANNOT get the flu from a flu shot.
? You NEED this year�s flu shot to protect

you against the flu this year.
? This effort is a medication distribution

emergency drill.

Getting a flu shot on November 1st will not only protect you from the flu, but will also help the City prepare for emergencies.

For information about regular flu clinic hours
Call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health/flu

NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

New York Council Calendar for the week of 10/31/2005 to 11/04/2005:

New York Council Calendar for the week of 10/31/2005 to 11/04/2005:

COMMITTEE: Education, Chairperson(s):Eva S. Moskowitz
TIME: 10:00 AM
LOCATION: Council Chambers - City Hall
DETAILS:

Oversight - Arts Education

Proposed Int. 464-A - By Council Members Monserrate, Yassky, Barron, Comrie, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Palma, Martinez, Reyna, Brewer, Clarke, Foster, Jackson, Liu, Quinn, Recchia, Reed, Rivera, Sanders, Sears, Stewart, Weprin, Dilan, DeBlasio, Lopez, Vann, Gennaro, Moskowitz, Arroyo, Nelson, Seabrook, Gioia, The Speaker (Council Member Miller) and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum) - A Local Law - to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the provision of language assistance services by the Department of Education.

Proposed Int. 550-A - By Council Members Martinez, Moskowitz, Barron, Brewer, Comrie, Dilan, Fidler, Gennaro, Gentile, Gerson, Gonzalez, Jennings, Koppell, Liu, Monserrate, Nelson, Palma, Quinn, Recchia Jr., Sanders Jr., Stewart, Weprin, deBlasio, Jackson and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum) - A Local Law - to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the New York City Department of Education to report on the number of temporary and non-standard classrooms in use in the public school system.

Proposed Int. 619-A - By Council Members Moskowitz, Baez, Brewer, Fidler, Foster, Gennaro, Gerson, James, Koppell, Liu, Martinez, Nelson, Palma, Sanders Jr., Sears, Vann, Weprin, deBlasio, Jackson and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum) - A Local Law - to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the New York City Department of Education to report average class sizes in each school to the City Council.


COMMITTEE: Public Safety, Chairperson(s):Peter F. Vallone, Jr.
TIME: 10:00 AM
LOCATION: Hearing Room - 250 Broadway, 14th Floor
DETAILS:

Proposed Int. 343-A - By Council Members Vallone Jr., Clarke, Fidler, Foster, Gennaro, Gentile, Gerson, Nelson, Reed, Rivera, Sanders Jr., Sears, Weprin, Liu and Palma - A Local Law - to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the fines for the offense of failing to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles en route to an emergency.

Proposed Int. 528-A - By Council Members Vallone Jr., Addabbo Jr., Fidler, Gennaro, Jennings, Katz, Koppell, Nelson, Recchia Jr., Rivera and Vann - A Local Law - to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to Makes it Illegal for Any Person to Subject or Attempt to Subject a Sports Participant at a Professional Sporting Event to Contact by any Object, Substance or Dangerous Instrument, or to Toss or Hurl any Object, Substance or Dangerous Instrument onto the Playing Area of a Professional Sporting.

Int. 703 ? By Council Members Oddo, Gallagher, Lanza, The Speaker (Council Member Miller), Addabbo Jr., Arroyo, Avella, Fidler, Gennaro, Gentile, Jackson, James, Martinez, McMahon, Nelson, Recchia Jr., Stewart, Vallone Jr., Weprin, Brewer, Clarke, Foster, Gerson, Gonzalez, Koppell, Liu, Perkins, Rivera, Sanders Jr., Vann and Reed - A Local Law - Increase Civil Penalties for Vandalizing Houses of Religious Worship or Articles Therein.


COMMITTEE: Governmental Operations, Chairperson(s):Bill Perkins
TIME: 11:00 AM
LOCATION: Committee Room - City Hall
DETAILS:

Int. 604 - By Council Members Gioia, Barron, Brewer, Comrie, Gennaro, Gerson, James, Koppell, Liu, Martinez, McMahon, Palma, Quinn, Reed, Rivera, Sanders Jr., Weprin and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum) - A Local Law - to amend the New York city charter, in relation to regularly updated online performance measures and statistics on city agencies.


COMMITTEE: Health, Chairperson(s):Christine C. Quinn
TIME: 1:00 PM LOCATION: Hearing Room - 250 Broadway, 14th Floor
DETAILS:

Int. 700 - By Council Members Moskowitz, the Speaker (Council Member Miller), Quinn, Katz, Rivera, Comrie, Brewer, Sears, Reyna, Weprin, Liu and Seabrook - A Local Law - to amend the effective date of local law one of the year 2002.


COMMITTEE: Housing & Buildings, Chairperson(s):Madeline T. Provenzano
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Council Chambers - City Hall
DETAILS:

Proposed Int. 478-A - By Council Members Provenzano, Lopez, Oddo, Comrie, Sanders Jr., Katz, Rivera, Lanza, Weprin, Vallone Jr., Felder, Sears, Gallagher, Jennings, Reed, Stewart, Avella, Foster and Brewer (by request of the Mayor) - A Local Law - to provide a time frame for the adoption and periodic updating of a modern construction code or codes based on the national model construction codes developed by the International Code Council to replace the city?s outdated building code.


COMMITTEE: DEFERRED* Small Business, Chairperson(s):Michael C. Nelson
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Committee Room - City Hall
DETAILS: Agenda to be announced


COMMITTEE: ADDITION* Joint Meeting. Health; Consumer Affairs , Chairperson(s):Christine C. Quinn, Philip Reed
TIME: 1:15 PM LOCATION: Hearing Room - 250 Broadway, 14th Floor
DETAILS:

Int. 708 - By Council Members Yassky, Nelson, Barron, Brewer, Fidler, Gentile, Gerson, Liu and Seabrook - A Local Law - to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reducing no-fault motor vehicle insurance fraud.


*Selected Commitees are not listed.
This is an automated mailer, so please confirm these dates by checking the Hearings and Meetings Calendar on our website, for the schedule may change at the last minute.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
The Webmaster of the New York City Council

Manhattanville: The Three-Step Plan - The Way

Columbia Spectator
Opinion

Manhattanville: The Three-Step Plan
The Way
By Tao Tan

October 26, 2005

Call me a cynic, but I see three phases in Columbia�s operations in Manhattanville: buy, bulldoze, and bring in. �Buy� was three summers ago, when Columbia first announced its land purchases and plans to expand into Manhattanville. �Bulldoze� started last spring, when Columbia�s request for the Empire State Development Corporation to consider eminent domain proceedings began. If we learned anything from that, it�s that �buy� and �bulldoze� don�t really work all the time.

�Buy� put Columbia in the uncomfortable position of dealing with six businesses that simply refused to sell. �Bulldoze,� to put it lightly, wasn�t received too well. Last May, Columbia visibly dipped its toe into the third phase for the first time by creating a $900,000 endowed position at Harlem Legal Services to protect and provide tenant advocacy services for low-income residents.

The results were fascinating. Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, the outspoken chairman of Community Board 9, was all smiles that day, commenting that �[Columbia] did this out of their own generosity, and that�s all there is to it.� This was the same man who had threatened �some kind of reaction, and it will not be pretty� in response to news of eminent domain proceedings the month before. What a sudden change of heart.

Why does the community resent Columbia anyway? It�s not because it�s one of New York�s oldest, wealthiest, and most acclaimed institutions, birthplace of the atomic bomb, home of 71 Nobel Prizes, and alma mater to John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and, of course, Spider-Man. The real reason anyone would resent Columbia is not because it is accomplished, but because it is exclusive, both in granting access and in setting priorities.

There is value to exclusivity, and Columbia�s first priority remains ensuring that its 24,000 students receive the first-rate education they paid and worked for, but there is a way to bring in the community without compromising anything.

Andrew Carnegie put it best when he talked about the American ideal of teaching a man how to fish rather than just giving him a fish. The truth is that nobody wants a handout. The $900,000 legal endowment is a drop in the bucket. The ends for which it was used, however, gave a positive impression of Columbia in a way that a $900,000 higher buyout offer or a $900,000 donation to a Harlem group never could. Money can come from anywhere, but this specific grant gave the community access to something far more valuable than Columbia�s financial capital: its intellectual capital.

I believe that the community�s ultimate desire is that Columbia abandons what are seen as token gestures, such as a few grants here and there, and the mobilization of the undergraduate student body for, gee, one day of community service. They want Columbia to stop pushing its short-term financial capital and start sharing its intellectual capital for their benefit in the long term.

Therefore, one of the first buildings built in Manhattanville�s Phase I should be a community education center. The center should do two things: it should combine all of Columbia�s institutional and student-driven outreach and service programs under one roof, and it should offer an informal environment.

The first would make apparent that Columbia�s myriad of existing efforts, such as the Double Discovery Center, the �Let�s Get Ready� SAT tutoring program, and Community Impact, currently individually spread out, are hardly token if centralized. The second is just as important. Enrolling in a formal course of study at General Studies or even at Continuing Education requires a tremendous commitment of time, effort, and money, and Columbia shouldn�t even try to open its formal academic programs to all. But it can set up computer classes, job training seminars, and make its course material, in the model of MIT�s OpenCourseWorks, freely available. In the evenings, star faculty might be persuaded to offer general-interest public lectures. That was how Frontiers of Science more or less began.

The center can also offer public computer labs and provide a new home for the decaying and inadequate George Bruce branch of the New York Public Library. Since the whole purpose is to make Columbia less draconian and bureaucratic and more accessible and user-friendly, this center should focus on accommodating �walk-ins� and de-emphasize registration and paperwork.

Manhattanville must remain a strictly academic campus. There is value in a close-knit academic community, and we are not, after all, NYU. But an academic home need not be an academic castle. Tens of millions of dollars in buyout offers earned Columbia distrust and resentment, but a financial drop in the bucket and a real commitment of intellectual capital earned praise from the University�s fiercest detractors. There�s a lesson to be learned in this: buyouts and bulldozing can win land, but it�s bringing in instead of shutting out that wins hearts and minds.

Newsday.com: A hazard to the environment

Subject: Fwd: [tb-cyberharbor]: A hazard to the environment + CIUS newsletter
Date: 10/26/2005 2:29:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: SBaileymcc
To: Reysmontj


A hazard to the environment
Experts estimate that billions of gallons of raw sewage were dumped into the city's waterways after storm

BY DANIEL HENDRICK
Daniel Hendrick is a freelance writer.

October 24, 2005


Along with downed wires and flooded basements, the torrential rains that fell earlier this month triggered another kind of problem that will take far more time and money to fix.

At least 7.5 billion gallons of raw sewage flowed into rivers, creeks and bays throughout New York City during the Oct. 7-15 storms, according to the environmental group Riverkeeper.

Brimming with waste from homes and businesses as well as chemicals washed down street drains, the sewage exacts a heavy toll on the environment, scientists and environmentalists say, and underscores a long-term problem that the city has struggled to confront.

"As long as New York City does not modify our current storm sewers, the impact always exists," said Paul Lu, an environmental science professor at Jamaica's York College. "Especially in the cumulative, if it doesn't rain for a couple of weeks ... everything goes into the pipe and washes down, and basically you have an open-water dumping system."



Flaws in the system

The culprit is the city's 6,000-mile-long sewer network, which captures sanitary waste and stormwater in the same pipes. This "combined" system was state-of-the-art in the 19th century, but has one major design flaw: It can easily be overwhelmed when it rains. An average of one out of every two storms that hit the city - or roughly once a week - puts more material into the sewers than the system can handle.

Rather than allow the city's 14 sewage treatment plants to be flooded, the excess is released into the environment through 460 valves called combined sewer overflows. Because the material they contain has not been treated, the overflows dump a toxic brew of anything and everything flushed down a toilet or left on the street. That includes human and animal feces, pesticides, antifreeze and petroleum products, tampon applicators, lead paint and industrial solvents. Some of these substances persist in the environment for years, while others lead to bacterial and algae growth that harms fish and other marine life.

All this pollution also violates water quality standards. The state Department of Environmental Conservation counted 18 city waterways on its most recent annual "impaired" list because of pathogens, nitrogen or trash discharged from the overflow valves.



In the works

And it's not just fish that pay the price, because anyone fishing, swimming or boating in New York City is affected. Groups such as the Long Island City Boathouse, which sponsors free paddling excursions and classes, canceled programs after the recent storms because of health concerns. "Cuts or open wounds, some people fall off the kayaks or people splash and get their hands wet and touch their mouths later. It's the internal contact we are worried about," said Erik Baard, the boathouse's chairman.

The city Department of Environmental Protection is working on the problem, said spokesman Charles Sturcken. By separating some storm and sanitary sewers, and reconfiguring pipes so they can hold more water, the system now captures 72 percent of the wet-weather flow, up from 18 percent in 1989. Last year, the department inked a consent order with state regulators to increase the capture to 75 percent. The department has also committed to a 10-year, $6.5-billion upgrade to its treatment plants, including the construction of massive stormwater holding tanks - although the tank nearest completion is already behind schedule.

But those improvements will only keep pace with the city's growing population and development, and won't reduce overflow valve pollution, said Natural Resources Defense Council attorney Brad Sewell. The city needs to look at a variety of solutions, he said, including installing permeable pavement and temporary stormwater retention tanks on new buildings.

Sturcken acknowledged this approach "may be right," but was noncommittal.

"With the amount of money we are spending and the amount of capture, we have to look at the projected demand," Sturcken added. "But there is a delicate balance to it. We have to balance that against the economy of the five boroughs, the rest of the city and the amount of money we can use from ratepayers."

Daniel Hendrick is a freelance writer.

........................................................................................

really, really very good related issue:

The latest newsletter from the CUNY Institute for Urban Systems (CIUS) is now
available online at http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/cius/newsletters/CIUS-News14.pdf.

Contents of this issue include:

- NYC's new high-performance guidelines for streets and other public
infrastructure

- Energy initiatives across CUNY

- CUNY's participants in NYMTC's Sept. 11th Memorial Program for Regional
Transportation Planning

- New CIUS Senior Fellow and Intern

- "Road to Energy Independence" conference

- Other upcoming classes and events

........................................................................................

by extension from the preceding entry:

URBAN PLANNING PRESS ADVISORY
October 25, 2005

Ten Common Sense Rules For TOD

Los Angeles, CA -- What are the necessary ingredients for
successful Transit Oriented Development (TOD)? Bruce
Liedstrand, Planner for Liedstrand Associates, lists the ten
fundamental, common-sense elements of TOD.

Ten Common Sense Rules For TOD
http://www.planetizen.com/node/17471

Bruce Liedstrand is a planner for Liedstrand Associates.

Contact:
Chris Steins, Editor
Planetizen: The Urban Planning and Development Network
Email steins@planetizen.com, 323-966-4540

Planetizen (plan-NET'-a-zen) is a one-stop source for urban
planning news, commentary, press releases, jobs and events.
http://www.planetizen.com/

........................................................................

lastly, not infrastructure, but still transportation-related - sort of - with
recyclables:

Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria
SW corner 42nd St & 5th Ave, opp Grand Central Terminal
October 27, 2005-January 22, 2006


Brooklyn-based Rob Fischer draws deeply on the vernacular forms and architecture
of his native Minnesota in his sculptural installations, painted photographs and
paintings. His most ambitious to date, Fischer's project addresses the tension
between transience and memory and the specifics of site. His hybrid sculptures
are amalgamations of parts (transport vehicles, including boats, airplane parts,
flatbed trucks, and dumpsters) that have seemingly discordant functions. Made of
industrial materials like steel and glass, the sculptures remain at once
utilitarian and intensely personal, elucidating a deeply human and personal
relationship to space, place, and origin. They explore both our desire to
escape*our eternal wanderlust and need for mobility*and our contradictory
impulse to root ourselves to an exact place.

For more information, please call (212) 570-3676 or visit www.whitney.org

City Hall Library Notes, October 2005

Subject: City Hall Library Notes, October 2005
Date: 10/26/2005 5:48:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: MyNYC@nyc.gov
Reply To: msngrprdb2-1.5ngr1.6082.rs.0.5fqme.-nc2thg@popcsms.csc.nycnet
To: reysmontj@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)








"CITY HALL LIBRARY NOTES"
City Hall Library Notes, October 2005

SPOTLIGHT ON: QUEENS

The largest borough in land area, about 120 square miles, according to the Encyclopedia of New York City, Queens is home to many varied neighborhoods from Long Island City to New Hyde Park. The population of Queens is known for its diversity. According to the 2002 Annual Report on Social Indicators from the Dept. of City Planning, Queens added over 321,000 foreign-born persons in the last decade. Its total foreign-born population surpassed one million in 2000, making Queens the most diverse borough in population, according to City Planning�s report. The City Hall Library collection offers a number of resources about the borough, its neighborhoods and the fascinating mix of populations living there.

Queens: A Pictorial History by Vincent Seyfreid explores the history of Queens from the 16th century to the 1980�s. Original photos and drawings are accompanied by text, covering such topics as settlement, transportation, leisure and profiles of selected neighborhoods. Among the neighborhoods are Flushing, Jamaica, Woodside and College Point.

A Modern Arcadia: Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and the Plan for Forest Hills Gardens by Susan L. Klaus, offers a history of one of the first middle-class suburban communities within the New York City limits. Conceived and planned in 1909, Forest Hills Gardens still exists today. This book discusses the construction, planning, architectural design and enduring legacy of the community.

The Story of Queens Village, also by Vincent F. Seyfried, published in 1974 to celebrate the centennial of the neighborhood, is a history of Queens Village starting with it s establishment in colonial times. Included are the growth of Queens Village in the nineteenth century, histories of the Bellaire and Creedmoor sections, the story of the Snyder-Gray murder case, which brought notoriety to Queens Village, transportation, churches of Queens Village and descriptions of some well-known institutions such as Martin Van Buren High School and Antun�s restaurant. Historical photos and drawings enhance the text.

The City Planning Dept. has prepared various zoning and redevelopment reports for different areas of Queens over the years. Community District Needs from Office of Management and Budget is another useful source to consult for statistical information and current conditions and needs in neighborhood community district. There is one volume for each borough.

Vertical files are a great source for newspaper and magazine articles on Queens in general and specific neighborhoods. You can learn about the history, population, housing, business and many other aspects of Queens life. Any of these materials and more can provide a fascinating view of the borough closest to Long Island.

ACQUISITIONS LIST, SEPTEMBER 2005

The following publications were received by the City Hall Library in the month of September. Additional government publications can be found online in our Government Publications section.

Bankoff, H. Arthur, Christopher Ricciardi and Alyssa Loorya.
Gerritsen�s Creek: 1997 archaeological field excavations. Submitted to Historic House Trust Division, N. Y. City Department of Parks and Recreation. January 1998.

CTE Engineers/Daniel Frankfurt, P.C.
Reconstruction of the East 153rd Street Bridge over Metro-North Railroad: final environmental impact statement. CEQR No. 03DOT005X. May 2005.

Center for an Urban Future.
Child welfare watch, the innovation issue: new initiatives in New York child welfare. Sum. 2003.

Citizens Union.
Voters� directory: a non-partisan guide to informed voting. Primary elections, Tuesday, September 13, 2005. 2005.

Community Service Society of New York.
Poverty in New York City, 2004: recovery? September 2005.

Community Service Society of New York.
The unheard third 2005: bringing the voices of low-income New Yorkers to the policy debate. August 2005.

Fiscal Policy Institute.
The state of working New York 2005: treading water in a tenuous recovery. September 2005.

Geismar, Joan.
Archaeological monitoring and assessment of wood timbers, Wall Street Triangle Park, New York City: letter report. Prepared for New York City Department of Parks and Recreation through Trocum Construction Corporation, Inc. April 2005.

Geismar, Joan.
Fort Greene Park, Borough of Brooklyn archaeological assessment. Prepared for the N.Y. City Department of Parks through Gandhi Engineering, Inc. March 2005.

Geismar, Joan H.
Construction of Coenties Slip: report on the log water main discovery and monitoring (October 22-26, 2004). Prepared for N. Y. City Department of Parks and Recreation, through Trocum Construction Corporation, Inc. March 2005.

Grassroots Initiative.
Democracy takes a nap: party politics in New York�s five boroughs. A report by Grassroots Initiative, September 2005.

Hardesty & Hanover, LLP, et al.
Willis Avenue Bridge reconstruction: draft design report/draft environmental impact statement. Prepared for N.Y. City Department of Transportation. CEQR 06DOT003X. August 2005.

Loorya, Alyssa.
Gerritsen�s Creek and Mill: [archaeological survey at the Marine Park Creek]. Prepared for N.Y. City Department of Parks and Recreation. May 10, 1996.

Loorya, Alyssa, and Christopher Ricciardi.
Phase I archaeological documentary and field testing study for the proposed development at Page Avenue �., Staten Island, NY. Final report. Prepared for Bay Properties, Inc. and N.Y. State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Albany, New York. July 2005.

Loorya, Alyssa, and Christopher Ricciardi.
Phase IA documentary study for 311 West Broadway Project, Block 228, Lot 12, New York, New York. Final report. Prepared for Philip Habib and Associates and N. Y. City Landmarks Preservation Commission. June 2005.

Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
Amended partial action plan no. 7 for World Trade Center Memorial and Cultural Program and lower Manhattan tourism. As approved by HUD 06/08/2005.

Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
International Freedom Center: content and governance report. September 23, 2005.

N. Y. City. Aging, Department for the.
Annual plan summary April 1, 2006�March 31, 2007 for Older Americans Act and New York State Community Services for the Elderly Program.... September 2005.

N. Y. City. Campaign Finance Board.
Voter guide: educate yourself and vote. Inside the citywide candidates issue. 2005. (Also in Chinese).

N. Y. City. Campaign Finance Board.
Voter guide: educate yourself and vote. Inside the Bronx issue. (Districts 8-18). 2005.

N. Y. City. Campaign Finance Board.
Voter guide: educate yourself and vote. Inside the Brooklyn issue. (Districts 41-48). 2005.

N. Y. City. Campaign Finance Board.
Voter guide: educate yourself and vote. Inside the Manhattan issue. (Districts 8-10). 2005.

N. Y. City. Campaign Finance Board.
Voter guide: educate yourself and vote. Inside the Queens issue. (Districts 21-34). 2005.

N. Y. Council.
Sharing space: rethinking the implementation of small high school reform in New York City. August 2005.

N. Y. Council. Education Committee.
The Chancellor�s regulations for parents: a reference for New Yorkers. [2005].

N. Y. City. Cultural Affairs, Department of.
City art: New York�s Percent for Art Program. 2005.

N. Y. City. Health, Department of. Bureau of Tuberculosis Control.
Annual reports: 1969-1999.

N. Y. City. Independent Budget Office.
Atlantic Yards: a net fiscal benefit for the City? (IBO Fiscal Brief). September 2005.

N. Y. City. Independent Budget Office.
Follow the money: were school construction dollars spent as planned? (IBO Fiscal Brief). September 2005.

N. Y. City. Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Austin, Nichols & Co., Warehouse: designated landmark. (Designation List 368). Sept. 20, 2005.

N. Y. City. Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Fitzgerald/Ginsberg Mansion: designated landmark. (Designation List 368). September 20, 2005.

N. Y. City. Mayor.
Mayor�s management report, fiscal 2005. 2005.

New York City Transit Riders Council.
Analysis of alternative fuel technologies for New York City Transit buses. February 2000.

New York City Transit Riders Council.
Hit or miss: a survey of New York City subway stations. August 2004.

New York City Transit Riders Council.
Reopening closed subway entrances using high entry/exit turnstiles. November 2001.

New York City Transit Riders Council.
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Herald.com | 10/26/2005 | Utilities warn: The worst may be yet to come

Miami Herald
Posted on Wed, Oct. 26, 2005


POWER AND PHONES


Utilities warn: The worst may be yet to come

South Florida residents should expect days or weeks without electricity -- making other critical services harder to come by. And yes, it will be getting warmer soon.

BY SCOTT HIAASEN AND MONICA HATCHER

shiaasen@herald.com


As millions of South Floridians began to clean up the damage left by Hurricane Wilma, they found even the most basic functions -- getting cash, getting gasoline, getting a phone call out -- paralyzed by the storm-inflicted blackout that gripped more than 90 percent of the region.

For many, relief will be weeks away.

Because of the lack of power, land-line phones weren't working in nearly all of Broward County and parts of Miami-Dade County. Cellphone service -- already spotty at best -- could become increasingly unreliable in the days ahead.

Many Broward residents must boil their drinking water because of low water pressure -- another symptom of the blackout.

Schools in Miami-Dade and Broward will be closed for the rest of the week -- if not longer -- because of the lack of power. The courts are closed -- no power.

Power problems shut down Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, though Miami International Airport resumed flights late Tuesday.

For the moment, South Florida will largely be a cash-only economy -- but without many working ATMs. In Miami, the few gas stations with the power to pump fuel on Tuesday were surrounded by lines of desperate customers.

In sum, South Florida residents can expect more frustration in coming days -- days that soon will be getting hotter and stickier.

Monday's storm left more than three million people in darkness in South Florida alone. Florida Power & Light officials said it could take two to four weeks to fully restore power to the region.

Unlike in past storms, FPL suffered extensive damage from flying debris at transmission substations that transmit power to entire neighborhoods, company President Armando Olivera said. So FPL must repair not only downed power lines but the stations that feed them.

Olivera said crews were first bringing power to critical facilities like hospitals and utilities before targeting residential neighborhoods.

1.7 MILLION IN DARK

By Tuesday afternoon, FPL said it had restored power to 57,300 customers in Miami-Dade and 5,400 in Broward. More than 1.7 million customers in the two counties remained without power.

Port Everglades -- the distribution hub for much of the region's gasoline -- was expected to be back on line by late Tuesday.

State officials do not anticipate the shortages of gas that followed last year's hurricane season. There are 199 million gallons of gasoline available at the ports, and many gasoline retailers complied with the governor's request to store extra fuel, said Colleen Castille, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

But getting the gas out of the gas stations is the problem. Gas stations aren't considered critical facilities, so they receive power just as neighborhoods get restored.

At least one retail chain, Hess Petroleum, has committed to supplying generators to each of its gas stations, Castille said.

Where gas did become available, the people soon followed. Just moments after a shopping center on South Dixie Highway in Palmetto Bay lit up with power, drivers began lining up at the U-Gas station. Before long, more than 100 drivers were waiting.

''I just have to have gas,'' said Laura Saavedra of Cutler Ridge, who had crawled halfway to the pump after nearly an hour in line. ``Hope there's some left when I get there.''

Mass transit was slowed by the blackout. While Miami-Dade transit officials worked to repair damaged Metrorail lines, they said the system won't be working until they get electricity from Florida Power & Light.

''They can fix it, but we still need to wait for FPL,'' said Cynthia Martinez of the county's Office of Emergency Management. ``Without power, the Metrorail's not going to go anywhere.''

Phone service has been hampered by the power outage -- and it could get worse. A BellSouth spokeswoman said it may become harder for customers to find a dial tone if power outages persist.

''The earlier power went out in a neighborhood, the sooner that neighborhood will likely lose service,'' said spokeswoman Marta Casas-Celaya.

From Brevard County south through Monroe, BellSouth reported some 855,000 outages.

THREAT TO BACKUPS

Switching stations that route calls from neighborhoods into individual homes rely on electricity to operate. When the power goes out, back-up batteries and generators kick in to power these stations, Casas-Celaya said. Those batteries have a life of eight to 10 hours; and generators eventually can run out of fuel, cutting off service.

''The more people use phones and the longer they use them, the faster the backup batteries are going to drain,'' Casas-Celaya said.

Cellular phone service also relies on electricity. Cellphones are ''cellular'' only from the transmission tower to your handset. Transmission towers rely on land-line switching stations, which rely on power.

Without electricity, the cellular transmission towers rely on generators. But with time and increased demand, the generators can run out of fuel.

Water service was cut or disrupted throughout nearly all of Broward County, where dozens of water main breaks -- created by tree roots yanked free by the hurricane -- caused water pressure to drop. Service remained sporadic even after crews patched up the leaks Tuesday because low power at pumping stations left many cities unable to propel water into homes and businesses.

PIPE BREAKS

Fort Lauderdale suffered many serious water line breaks, but pressure began to return late Tuesday. Many other North Broward cities, including Deerfield Beach, Tamarac and Coconut Creek had no water. Broward Mayor Kristin Jacobs said she hoped all households would regain flowing water by Wednesday but said water service would hinge on how quickly FPL could restore power.

The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department is operating facilities on generators, and residents are being urged to conserve water.

Use water ''only for the basics,'' said Adriana Lamar, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department spokeswoman. ``This is not the time to be cleaning cars or sidewalks.''

She added that her department believes it has ''plenty of fuel'' for the generators until electricity is restored.

Meanwhile, Miami Beach is under orders to boil water after a boat apparently hit and ruptured a 16-inch water line Monday near the Venetian Causeway, Lamar said.

Other customers throughout Miami-Dade may be experiencing low water pressure while crews repair main lines broken by uprooted trees. Less than 100 customers are completely without water, but crews are working to restore their water lines, she said.

Herald staff writers John Dorschner, Tere Figueras Negrete, Mary Ellen Klas, Nikki Waller, Yudy Pineiro, Luisa Yanez and Donna Gehrke-White contributed to this report.


R E L A T E D C O N T E N T

















People abandon their cars waiting
in line for water at Markham Park
in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma.
JOE RIMKUS JR./MIAMI HERALD STAFF


R E L A T E D L I N K S

� On the Web Estimated restoration times by county
� Utilities warn: The worst may be yet to come
� Glass failure in high-rises shocks experts
� 7 deaths, bill in billions and an unreal landscape
� Delayed ice giveaways get cold reception
� FPL substations `severely damaged'
� FEMA to offer money to victims
� 'At least we have our lives, you guys'
� Anxious drivers face a rough road ahead
� Taps down to trickle and unsafe for many
� Fine print may cut payout
� Gas plentiful, but most pumps still out of order
� Supply and demand: Ice never looked so good
� Boat Show: Docked and damaged
� Late storm sobers Florida tourists
� Signs of flood greet many on return to Keys
� Farmers suffer another major blow
� S. Florida hospitals contending with shortages
� Damage to shipping limited if ports open soon
� Passenger ships dodge hurricane and change itineraries
� For some migrants, everything is lost
� No classes now could shorten vacations later
� Storm wreaks havoc on Florida citrus farms
� Broward school brass copes, hopes
� Media struggled on-air as storm blew through
� Death toll climbs to 7 across the state
� Chaos rules at traffic stops
� Broward courthouse to be shut through next week
� Airports limping toward normalcy
� Garbage pickup -- he's the cleanup king
� After floods, saltwater a concern in Cuba
� Curfews help halt incidents of looting
� 15 dead, a dozen missing from Tropical Storm Alpha
� Hurricane center accurately predicted Wilma's path
� Courthouses to remain closed through next week in Broward
� SW Broward: Roughed up and `lucky'
� Battered hospitals struggling, filling up
� Mobile homes hit hard by storm
� Game delayed; rink damaged
� Electric lights become a powerful attraction
� Dade notebook Hurricane Wilma gave an unexpected blow to parts of South
� Historic building, Collier's first county seat, badly damaged
� Big hearts help small town heal
� For city firefighters, the calm came AFTER the storm
� Thirsty residents wait in line for water, ice
� List of Winn-Dixie, Publix and Home Depots that are open
� Panthers game delayed; practice rink is damaged
� Firefighters battle blaze, winds
� Reporter's notebook around Broward
� Disaster draws new neighbors together
� Hurricane Wilma in photos
� Submit your Wilma photos
� Recovering after the storm
� What's open/closed, city services
� All the weather maps
� Hurricane preparation guide
� More on Storm.Herald.com
� Report downed power lines
� Local airports unsure of opening
� FPL: Up to '4 weeks' to fix power
� Storm surge isolates islands
� `This is total. A disaster. I lost everything.'
� Canc�n in ruins; looters strike
� President Bush declares state disaster area, opens up aid
� Warnings couldn't stop damage
� Broward blown out
� Storm blasts Brickell area
� Hospitals function on emergency power
� The answers homeowners need to know
� Marinas, houseboats destroyed
� South Dade farmers: `The wind got us this time'
� Where to call if you have a damage claim
� Comcast cable assesses damage, seeks to restore service
� After the storm Advice for staying safe and caring for your home
� President declares disaster area
� Summary of Dade, Broward damage
� Blind Eye Miami Herald investigative report on problems with hurricane forecasting
� How to purify water
� How to help
� How to make an insurance claim
� The damage is 'heart-rending'